Production of C-2 and C-3 polyols from n-sorbitol over Ni/MgxAlyOx+1.5y catalysts with different Mg/Almolar ratio were performed under mild conditions. It was found that this reaction proceeded effectively over these bifunctional catalysts prepared via thermal decomposition and reduction of Ni-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compounds. The detected conversion of n-sorbitol over Ni/Mg1.29Al0.06O1.38 reached 80.7% at 453 K and further increased to 97.0% at 473 K. Characterizations indicate that the performance of these catalysts depended mainly on its surface basicity. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.